vossen



Sept. 18, 1945. E. vossEN CONTROLLER MOUNTING FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 17, 1945 INVENTOR. Eon/4R0 1655s H T KI E).

Patented Sept. 18, 1945 UNI-TED ST ES PA p '12,s's5,174. 'f.

MOUNTING-TQR-KNI M MACHINES Edward Vos sen, Brooklyn,

Motion Devices Corp Brogoli yn CONTROLLER notation of New York Application This" invention relates to new and useful improvem-en tsin a'controller mon-nting fo'r a knit ting machine. More particularly the new mountingis intended for a Wild-man'spring and latch needleknitting machine with a universal drive; However, similar constructions may be used on other knitting machines. r

The new and improved controller mounting is used inconibination with a controller or controlle r' box having ahorizontal shaft which turns a small angular distance when the controller is ac tuated. 'It' is proposed to; provide the horizontal shaft or the controller boxwith alever having an offset end engaging in front'of a horizontal finger which is indirectly mounted onjavertical rod turnably mounted on the main bracket of the universal drive of the knitting machine. This is the usual vertical rod on the Wildman machine which is associated with resilient means which tends to turn the rod a small angular distance in one direction'for opening upthe clutch of the'universal driv'e,o'r for-shifting the belt, depending uponitsdesign. v It is proposed that a horizontalarm be mounted on the vertical rod and be provided with said horizontal finger whichshould be hingedly mounted to bend downwards and should'normally be held in a-horizonta-l position with resilient means, such asa leaf spring. i a

The invention contemplates forming said offset end of said lever with a cam'face on its front side cooperative with said horizontalfingr when the latter is moved backwards during the loading of the" universal drive, to permit the horizontal finger to engage behind said offset end for accomplishing the hold of the loading action;

The invention also proposes the provision of means for tripping said horizontal finger downwards for releasing the vertical rod so that the universal drive is declutchedj? that is so that the drive is uncoupled from the'knitting machine} The invention also contemplates a modified form in which a switch is provided for actuating the controller to release the horizontalarm so that declntching may take place, when the switch is actuated; 1 5 Still further the invention proposes the construction of a new and improved controller mounting, as briefly-mentioned, which is exceptionally efficient and fast in operation and which may be manufactured and sold and installed ata relaftively low cost.

For further comprehension of the-invention; and of the objects and advantages thereof reference 'will be had to-the'following description and ac- '1 oFF1cE satan- N Y; a c n February 1% asted no man -a ms- (oita companying drawing-,"and to therappended claims in which the various novel features oithe invention are-more particuiarlysetforth;

1 ln' tl'ie accompanying" drawing forming a materi-al part of thisdisclosure: 1

- Figi il is 'a pl'an view of a controller mounting for a. knitting machineconstructed in accordance with-this invention. A

.Fi'g; 2'is aiir'ontelevational view of Fig 1. ,lh'igpais azfragmentary enlarged vertical section iewrta'hen-ontheline 3-1-13 of Fig. l.

--i isfi isa side elevational view of a modified form iofthisrinvention. i

5lis a plan view of Fig. 4; i =2 new-and improved controller mounting, in accordance with that form of the invention illustrated lin Fi'gsi 1 to 3linclusive, is used in combihatidmivith the usual main bracket! 0 of the uni-l versal'tl-rive of a Wildman sprin'gand latchneedle knitting maclriineor othersimilar machines. The bracket 10 ispnovided with bearings .l I. which rotativelyrisupport theusual vertical rod l2 which is connected: with resilient means tending to turn the rod t1: aismall-angular distaneein one directiontfiThis. resilientnmeans is associated with a radial arm lt mounted on the vertical rod l2 and pivbtallvlconnected with a link [5 which in turn ispivotally'connected witha block 16 slidably supportedonahorizontal rod lib"- I 'Arpait'tof links: 18 are'ipivotaliy connected with thi'esidesief .theiblock 16; "These links 18 are pivotally comie'ctedlonfltheir other ends with radial arm's 1'9 mounts-id on a-rocker shaft which is providedlwithia handle 2'1 byrwhi'ch "the rocker shaft It may be conveniently turned A spring 22 iscoaXiallvani-ounted 'on the rod H and acts between-ithe sli'dable block l6. and :a stationary I 24; torznrsine the block l6. along the rod It rocker shaft. 20.;is turnably supported in 9;.fififii 'QfififiidiblhdkiQbNy The spring 22 comprises the resilient moansiwhiohtends to indirect.-

hgt lm Li 1 d l through, a small angular distenet i 0:.:q 2 stit es,t sp ine whi h orerates the-iclutch, or the-belt shiit for declutching the universal drive. m.'-,

I nh rizq tal arm 26 ismounted upon the rod izandis formed from two sections, namely abase section 1 whigh i's fixedly mounted on the rod Hfan horizontal finger 28 which is pivotally mounted iponj thf-iree end of the base section 2?. llheflinger n is pivotally supported by a pintle 29: Iti's urgedinto 'a horizontal position bvaleat spring 34 which is mounted on the base section 2.1. randvwhichacts against the finger 28 to; urge the finger-upwards. The finger 28 is Provided with a shoulder 32 engageable against a portion of the base section 21 for limiting upwards pivoting of the finger 28 to said horizontal position, see Fig. 3.

A controller or controller box 33 is mounted by lugs 38 projecting from the controller box 33 and bolts 38 upon a strap 34 which is provided with a central stud 35 engaging into a boss 36 formed upon the top of the bracket ID. A set screw 31 firmly holds the stud 35 in position in the boss 36. The controller box 33 is provided with a horizontal shaft 39 which turns a small angulardisated. In this particular case the controller box will turn a small distance counterclockwise." :A'

controller box, which may be used for the controller box 33, is disclosed in my U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,357,713, granted on September 5, 1944, for a Controller for machines. The shaft 39 is provided with a handle 40 by which the controller box maybe loaded. It is illustrated in its loaded position. Z

A lever 42 is mounted upon said horizontal shaft 39. This lever is in a horizontal ,positlonwhen the controller box is loaded, Thelever 421s provided with'an offset end 43 which normally engages. in frontof the horizontalfinger 28, for holding the vertical rod l2 from beingturn'ed by said spring 22. The front face 44, of the onset end-43 is curved and acts inthe nature. of a cam to causethe horizontal finger 28 ,to bend downwards when the rod I2 isturned and the horizontal finger 28 moves towards and against the offset end 43. In thisway the horizontal-fin er 28 will slip down and around to the backof the offset end 43. I

Means is provided for tripping the horizontal finger 28 downwards for releasing the vertical rod l2. This tripping means includes a bracket 46 mounted upon ,a bottom sidecorner of the controller box 33. A.rod4'l is turnablymounted through the bracket 46. A collar 48- is mounted upon the rod 41 against oneside of the bracket 46..

A spring 49 is coaxially mounted on the rod" and actsbetween the. collar48 and a clip 58 mounted on the controller box 33; Another collar is mounted on therodj'l against .the other end of the bracket 46. An arm 521s mounted upon the collar 5| and extendsacross thebottom of the controller box 33,.and up one side and terminates in a small hook portion 53 which is normally located immediately above the finger. 28. 1 1

The spring 49 tends to hold the rod 41 in a turned position in which the hook portion. 53 is just slightly above the top of the finger 28. The rod 41' has an offset end 55 to which a chain} or a flexible member may be connected, which when pulled downwards will cause the rod 41 to turn and correspondingly move the arm 52 so that the-hook portion 53 will bend the finger 28 downwards and free from the offset end43 ofthe lever 42. This bent end 55 may be connected with the hole detector chain which is supplied with the-Wildman spring and latch needle knitting machine, or other knitting machine.

The controller box 33 is alsoprovi'ded with a bracket 5'! which supports 'the' usualconductor rod 58 which is connected with the'electric circuit'of the stop motion devices of the knitting machine. An; insulation bushing- 59 interposed e we the, r d and t e b ket. 51... An L: shaped strip. of material Gil-is attached by one of said bolts 38 with one. of: the ends' of-said st ap-34; A transformer 63 is'mounted upon and supported by the strip 68. This is the usual transformer needed for the controller 33.

The bracket I8 is shown mounted upon the body 65 of the knitting machine. Details of the body 65 are not shown since the details of the knitting machine are not pertinent. The bracket l8 supports the usual drive shaft 66 which is provided with the usual brake drumtl. The drive shaft 66 may be driven by a belt drive, not shown, or any other drive.

'The operation of the new and improved controller mounting may be understood from the following:

,The block I6 is shown in a osition in which the drive shaft 66 is connected with the drive motor,

' or other drive means. When the controller 33 is actuated, the lever 42 moves slightly angularly upwardsand the offset end 43 will release the finger. 28.freeing the vertical rod I2 so that the spring 22 may move the block I6 and disconnect the drive shaft 66 in the usual way. When the block I6 is-moved, the link l5 and radial arm l4 will transmit the motion to turn the vertical rod l2,,slightly clockwise inrelation to a plan view of the rod l2. When the controller 33 was actuated, the horizontal shaft 39- turnedslightly anticlockwise so as to move the offset end 43upwards. and release the finger 28. The finger 28 may also be freed from the ofisetend 43- by the rod 41 when turned clockwisea small amount. When so turned, the arm 52 will move downwards so that the hook portion 53 depresses the finger 28. The finger 28 will bend downwards because it is pivotally mounted and is held in-its horizontal position merely by the leaf spring-3|.

The handle 2| may be actuated in the usual way, to reengage the clutch, or shift the belt so that the drive shaft is again driven. When the handle 2| is actuated it is turnedcounterclockwise so that the rocker shaft 28 turns, and turns the radial arms l9 moving the links 18 which in turn move the block l6 and compresses the spring 22. This action also turns the vertical rod [2 back to its loaded position. When the vertical rod l2 has been turned back to itsloaded position, the handle 40 of the controller 33 may be turned clockwise to reload the controller, to move the lever 42 back to its horizontal position so that the offset end 43 is again in front of the horizontal finger 28. If the lever 42 is already in its horizontal position when the vertical rod 12 is turned back, the finger 28 will engage the cam surface 44 of the offset end 43 and-will bend downwards, beneath the ofisetend 43 and then upwards in back of the offset ends:

In Figs. 4 and fi amodified form of; the invention has been disclosed which is ,very similar to the prior form-distinguishing merely; in the fact that the controller box 33 is provided witha push button switch 'lflfor actuating the controller 33 for releasing the horizontal finger 28 inlieu'of the rod 41, the arm 52 and the hookportion 53. .A lever H is pivotally mounted at one end by a pintle 12 to a bracket 14 mounted onthe bottom of the controller box 33. The lever ll extends over the button of the push-button switch ID, The lever 'H may :be connected with'a-chain, or other fiexiblemember, or-other connection and with the usual main stop motioncontroller of the Wildman spring and latch needle knitting machine, or other controller of any other'type of knitting machine. I

The Operation of this form-of the invention isidentical to the prior form exceptfor the'fact that the lever H may be moved downwards'to asssarmi operate the switch, which will operatethe cone troller 33 in the usual way like any one of thestop motion switches which isused to operate said controller. of a mechanical trip to. press downwards the finger 28ihas been eliminated.

In. other respects this form of. the invention isv identical to the'prior form andv similar parts have been indicated by the same reference nu.-

merals'.

While I have illustratedv and. described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit: myself'to the: precise constructions herein disclosed and the; right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as definedin the-appended claims. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new' and desire to, secure United States Letters Patent is:

1. A controller mounting for a knitting machine, comprising a bracket avertical rod turnablyv mounted on said bracket, resilient means tending to turn said, rod a. small angular dis tance in one direction, a, horizontal arm mounted on, said rod and having a horizontal finger hingedly mounted to bend downwards, resilient means for holding said fingenhorizontallyl. EJ100117 troller box mounted on said. bracketxand having a. horizontal shaft which turns .a-small angular distance when the controller is actuated, and a lever mounted on saidhorizontal'shaft and having; an offset end engaging in frontof saidhori-- zontal finger for holding said Vertical rodfrom being-:turned by said; resilient means. I V

2. A controller mounting for a knitting machine comprising' a bracket, a vertical rod turnably mounted on said bracket, resilient means tending to turn said rod a small angular distance in, one direction, a; horizontalarm mounted on, said rod and having a horizontalzfinger hingedly mounted; to bend downwards, resilient means for holding said finger horizontally, a controller box mounted on said bracket and having a horizontal shaft which turns a small angular distance when the controller is actuated, and a lever mounted on said horizontal shaft and having an offset end engaging in front of said horizontal finger for holding said vertical rod from being turned by said resilient means, said horizontal arm being provided with a base portion which is fixedly mounted on said rod.

3. A controller mounting for a knitting machine comprising a bracket, a vertical rod turnably mounted on said bracket, a resilient means tending to turn said rod a small angular distance in one direction, a horizontal arm mounted on said rod and having a horizontal finger hingedly mounted to bend downwards, resilient means for holding said finger horizontally, a controller box mounted on said bracket and having a horizontal shaft which turns a small angular distance when the controller is actuated, and a lever mounted on said horizontal shaft and having an offset end engaging in front of said horizontal finger for holding said vertical rod from being turned by said resilient means, said horizontal arm being provided with a base portion which is fixedly mounted on said rod, and said horizontal finger being pivotally mounted on said base portion.

4. A controller mounting for a knitting machine comprising a bracket, 2, vertical rod turnably mounted on said bracket, resilient means tending to turn said rod a small angular distance in one direction, a horizontal arm mounted With this arrangement; theneed on said: rod and having? a; horizontal finger hingedly mounted to bend downwards,;resi'1ient; means for holding-said finger horizontally; a-controller box. mounted on said bracket and havingia. horizontal shaft which turns a. small: angular distance when the controller is actuatedand alever mounted on said horizontal: shaft and; having an. offset end engaging in front of said horizontal finger for holding. said vertical rod from bein turned by. said resilient means, said horizontal: arm being provided with a. base. portion which is; fixedly mounted on said rodgand said horizontal finger: being pivotally mounted; on. said base portion, said horizontal fingerhaving a shoulder-engaging against said base portion for limiting: up;- wards pivoting of the finger toits horizontal;

position.

5. A controller mounting for a. knitting .ma chine comprising a bracket, 2... vertical rodzturnably mounted on said bracket, resilient: means tending to turn said rod a small angular distance in one direction, a horizontal arm mounted on said rod and having a horizontal" finger hingedlymounted to bend downwards, resilient means forholding said finger horizontally; a controller box mounted on said bracket. and having a horizontal.

shaft. which turns a smallang-ular'distance when i being pivotally mounted on said. base.- portion,

said. horizontal finger having a shoulder engag ing against said base portion forlimiting upwards, pivoting of the finger to itshorizontal' position, said resilient means for holding said: finger horizontally comprising a leaf spring mounted onsaio' base section and engaging against" the bottom; or said horizontal finger.

6. A controller mounting for a knitting ma. chine comprising a bracket, a vertical rod turnably mounted on said bracket, resilient means tending to turn said rod a small angular distance in one direction, a horizontal arm mounted on said rod and havin a horizontal finger hingedly mounted to bend downwards, resilient means for holding said finger horizontally, a controller box mounted on said bracket and having a horizontal shaft which turns a small angular distance when the controller is actuated, and a lever mounted on said horizontal shaft and having an offset end engaging in front of said horizontal finger for holding said vertical rod from being turned by said resilient means, said offset end having a cam front face for forcing said horizontal finger downwardly when said vertical rod is turned to move said horizontal finger backwards.

'7. A controller mounting for a knitting machine, comprising a bracket, a vertical rod tumably mounted on said bracket, resilient means tending to turn said rod a small angular distance in one direction, a horizontal arm mounted on said rod and having a horizontal finger hingedly mounted to bend downwards, resilient means for holding said finger horizontally, a controller box mounted on said bracket and having a horizontal shaft which turns a small angular distance when the controller is actuated, and a lever mounted on said horizontal shaft having an offset end engaging in front of said horizontal finger for holding said vertical rod from being turned by said resilient means, and means for tripping said'horizontal finger downwards.

8. A controller mounting for a knitting machine, comprising a bracket, a vertical rod turnably mounted on said bracket, resilient means tending to turn said rod a small angular distance in one direction, a horizontal arm mounted on said rod and having a horizontal finger hingedly mounted to bend downwards, resilient means for holding said finger horizontally, a controller box mounted on said bracket and having a horizontal shaft which turns a small angular distance when the controller is actuated, and a lever mounted on said horizontal shaft having an offset end engaging in front of 'said horizontal finger for holding said vertical rod from being turned by said resilient means, and means for tripping said horizontal finger downwards, comprising a turnably mounted rod connected with an arm having a hook portion engaging above said horizontal finger. V l. V

9. A controller mounting for a knitting ma:- chine, comprising a bracket, a verticalrod turnably mounted on said bracket, resilient means tending to turn said rod a small angular distance inonedirection, a horizontal arm mounted on said rod and having a horizontal finger hingedly mounted to bend downwards, resilient means for holding said finger horizontally, a controller box mounted on said bracket and having a, horizontal shaft which turns a small angular distance when the controller is actuated, and a lever mounted on said horizontal shaft having an offset end ably mounted on said bracket, resilient means tending to turn said rod a small angular distance in one direction, a horizontal arm mounted on said rod and having a horizontal finger hingedly mounted to bend downwards, resilient means for holding said finger horizontally, a controller box mounted on said bracket and having a horizontal shaft which turns a small angular distance when the controller is actuated, and a lever mounted on said horizontal shaft having an offset end engaging in front of said horizontal finger for holding said vertical rod from being turned by said resilient means, and means for tripping said horizontal finger downwards, comprising a turnably mounted rod connected with an arm having a hook portion engaging above said horizontal finger, said rod having an offset end by which it may be easily turned, and resilient means for urging said rod into a position in which said hook portion is located immediately above said finger.

11. A controller mounting for a knitting machine, comprising a bracket, a vertical rod turnably mounted on said bracket, resilient means tending to turn said rod 2. small angular distance in one direction, a horizontal arm mounted onsaid rod and having a horizontal finger hingedly mounted to bend downwards, resilient means for holding said finger horizontally, a controller box mounted on said bracket and having a horizontal shaft which turns a small angular distance when the controller is actuated, and a lever mounted on said horizontal shaft having an offset end engaging in front of said horizontal finger for holding said vertical rod from being turned by said resilient means, a push button switch for electrically operating said controller and mounted on said controller box, a lever pivotally supported and extending across the button of said push button switch by which the switch may be actuated when the lever is pulled.

' EDWARD VOSSEN. 

